'We will have to put these horses to sleep'

Equine Market Watch has been caring for horses and ponies at the site for 24 years

A Herefordshire animal sanctuary says it desperately needs to raise nearly half a million pounds or face having to euthanise all its resident horses and ponies.

Charity Equine Market Watch has been caring for elderly, sick and disabled animals on a farm in Bromyard for 24 years.

Founder Elaine Tasker told BBC Hereford & Worcester the charity itself was solvent, but didn't have the reserves needed to offset the sum and keep going.

"If we cannot secure the farm for the charity then I'm afraid we will have to have these horses put to sleep. There is no other option," she said.

Ms Tasker said the sum was linked to mortgage debt associated with the farm at which the operation was based, and that if the money couldn't be raised "we will lose the sanctuary, the farm will go, the owner will be made homeless, the charity will have to be dissolved".

If she is successful, the charity will be the new owner of the farm.

"I want to think that… there might be a Christmas miracle. But I'm not unrealistic," she said.

The charity says it will have to euthanise nine horses and ponies unless it can raise nearly half a million pounds

The charity has moved as many of its horses and ponies as possible to other sites, but there are still nine who will have to be put down if the farm cannot be saved.

"The current situation is horrific," said Ms Tasker. "None of this is of the charity's making, the charity is not in debt. However we do not have resources for the amount of money that it would require to secure the farm as a sanctuary."

The charity has launched a GoFundMe page to try to raise the money.